You
know from videos how and where this happened. I was among protesters
(not as a journalist) in Sahil park next to ruling party headquarter and
Sahil Metro station. I was already silent, as most of the protesters
were dispersed. The group of the police attacked just to take me (in
fact couple of friends heard them receiving an order to take me and
warned). I was screaming asking who they are, as they never introduced
themselves and what they want. They carried me towards the car, and they
didn't allow me to get into car myself. They just pushed me into the
car. I was on the floor of the cabin for some time, while they pushed
two more people to the car (there was one guy - Zaur Orujov, blogger
from Sumgayit - already there when I was pushed). As there was no place
to move inside the cabin, car moved to deliver us to police station.

POLICE CAR

There
were only three seats. I was on the floor and couldn't move in order
not to harm myself in the roughly moving car, due to the stomack
operation I recently had, I have to be very careful with movements.

Aynur
Imranova, the lady, who was pushed to the car after me asked the police
to stop the car, so we could settle inside. They had to stop the car
anyway because of the traffic jam and I could stand and sit on the seat.
Turkel Rustamkhanli, the last one who was pushed inside, remained
sitting on the floor.

SPECIAL TREATMENT

The
first destination was Khatai Police station's Detention facility. People
there were polite to us, gave chairs and water. All cameras were full. I
saw a girl Zeyneb Rzayeva from Nida and Ilkin Rustamzade there. Police
officer came to write a protocol. While we were in the middle of
identifying who I am and where I live, I was summoned to the police
station next door with words "Reis chagirir" - The chief wants to see
her. With full understanding of "reis"'s interest to my personality I
followed the order and was taken to the next door building - the police
station itself. There was no "reis" though - not that I am disappointed,
but there should have been a point in separating me from others. The
same officer started writing an "Explanation" on my behalf. He wrote all
my details, and I told him that if I am supposed to write this paper, I
can do it myself, especially given that he was making too many grammar
mistakes. He said he will write the form and I will write my answers to
his question.

The question was, what I was doing the time and place of detention, what was a purpose of my appearance there.

EXPLANATION -ACCUSATION

I
wrote that I was protesting use of excessive force against civilian,
non violent people. The force was used by plain cloth people and
uniformed men, who never introduced themselves, never explained why they
are dispersing people. I was informing the police officers that they
have to defend the law, not the corrupt officials and they should serve
people of Azerbaijan, not the bunch of oligarchs.

I also
told that their children will be ashamed of them, because they don't
help to build order in the society. In fact these people, who supposed
to enforce law, violate laws and COnstitution, thus corrupting society
and making it difficult to live in for their own children as well. Every
time, when their children will suffer from problems in education, they
have to remember that these people, whom they screwed for protests, in
fact cared for their children;s right for education. Every time when
their mothers get wrong diagnosis from fake doctor, who bought his
diploma from Medical University, or wrong treatment because of the
counterfeight medicines, they have to remember these young guys, who
protest on behalf of all children and all mothers, in order to stop this
bizarre. Instead, they use force against those activists, and this is
wrong. Not only from moral point of view, but also legally. IT IS
ILLEGAL.

I wrote that as good citizen I informed police
about their duties and I am happy that I did it. But the police used
force against me. And I hope they will be punished for that. I was asked
again why I was in Sahil park. I said I stopped there while I was
heading to participate in the demonstration in Fountains Square. I was
going to participate, because I consider it wrong when government uses
force against it's citizens. I consider it wrong, when corruption and
mismanagement on high level enjoys impunity, while people who protest
these crimes get punished. So I wanted to be there, to raise my voice
against violence, and to support my ccompatriots in Ismayilli, who are
under huge government's pressure today. 43 While I was wrting, policeman
was reporting on the phone, that 43 people were brought to the station,
and they managed to protocol identity of 8 of them so far. Then they
decided that Khatai police is not good to keep me, they took me to
Sabail police. On the way to Sabail I wrote in Facebook and responded
several phone calls.

IN SABAIL POLICE

They
took my telephone right away. Around 18-19 guys were in the cage across
the corridor there. Then about 10 of them were taken somewhere. Ilkin
Rustamzade was also in Sabail now. There was also the guy, whose name
was Orkhan Jarchiyev. I didn't recognize all names. In the section where
they put me, there were four women: Kamala Bananyarli, whose arm was
injured, Mardana, who was released soon, Kamilla Ahmedova and Gozel
Bayramli.

Policemen were polite. We - women were
shortening time composing poem about Ilham Aliyev's family corruption
and discussing news about demolition of the Heydar Aliyev's statue in
Mexico.

PROTOCOL ARGUMENT

They started
composing a protocol again. I said I am not going to write an
explanation and sign the protocol before seeing my lawyer. I wrote this
note in the protocol.

Then Kamal Valishov, the deputy
chief of Sabail district court, summoned me to his room and demanded
that I answer the questions, I said no. We had argument, he raised his
voice and said, I will have to wait several days otherwise. I said I
will not write anything or answer questions before the lawyer comes and
he has no right to keep me. It is illegal. I told him that I know my
rights, he has no right to put pressure on me for that. He gave up. In
the evening (we didn't know what time it was), they took me and Gozal
Bayramli to Sabail district court in the back of the police car. There
were several activists there including Nihad from Popular Front and
Elshan Hasanov - former prisoner of conscious from Musavat Party and
Turkel Azerturk - the Popular Front member who was fined for
participation in January 12 protest against soldier mortality.

COMEDY

The
trial was a comedy. I entered the room where two men were sitting on
the defense's place. I asked who they are and the judge said they are my
lawyers. I said I don't know these people, I don't trust them and I
refuse. I want my own lawyers. I didn't know that in fact my lawyers
were outside of the building and were not allowed in. Judge said I can't
have my own lawyer as they are not here. I said if they give me my
phone, which was illegally seized in Sabail police, they will be here
soon. Judge ignored and continued the comedy trial. He said there is a
report by police about me, participating in rally in the Fountains
Square. I said that report is fake, as I was not in Fountains Square
today. I was detained in the Sahil Park. Sahil Park was not the
designated rally place. Judge asked the lawyer Vagif Mammadov, whom I
rejected about his opinion. I protested, that the judge should not
involve the person, whom I didn't agree to accept. Judge ignored and
continued. The lawyer said the case should be closed as I was not in the
place they claimed I was. Judge went to consultation. He returned late.
By that time my lawyers Elchin Sadigov and Fariz Namazov made their way
to the court room. When he came the judge announced that I am being
fined 400 AZN as I am guilty of violating the clause 298.2 of the Law On
the Freedom Of Assembly.

Then I got out. I am not going to pay, as the judge's decision was illegal.

***
And here is the chronology of events (thanks to Khadija Ismayil's update on Facebook):

January 19

Baku-Astara highway:

Dozens merchants from Bina Trade Center were arrested for protesting
against raising rent tax burdens. Police used tear gas against
merchants. The merchants were going to rally to the presidential
administration, when police with guns and rifles stopped them on the
way. That caused blocking the road.

DOZENS ARRESTED, REPORTEDLY TORTURED IN POLICE, NOT ALLOWED LEGAL HELP OF THEIR CHOICE

January 23-24-25

Ismayilli:

People protested against social injustice and impunity to those in
power, as a main cause of the blunt incident when drunk relatives of the
governor offered money to buy all women of Ismayilli suggesting that
men in Ismayilli will bite it as they bite everything so far. People burned down hotel Chirag (allegedly a brothel), which reportedly belonged to the governor, they also set
his cars and scooters on fire. They said they saw their governor as the main reason
for unemployment and powerty in the region. Police used tear gas, rubber
bullets and water cannons against unarmed residents. Protests continued the next day. Arrests
continue till now.

MORE THAN 100 ARRESTED, TORTURES, ILL
TREATMENT WITNESSED BY JOURNALISTS, THOSE ARRESTED LACK LAWYERS. THE
CITY IS ON SPECIAL REGIME - TROOPS DEPLOYED TO STAY THERE TILL MARCH,
ACCORDING TO SOLDIERS. SEVERAL ACTIVISTS FROM BAKU WERE DETAINED AND
SENTENCED TO 10-15 DAYS ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION JUST FOR VISITING THE REGION. ARRESTED
ISMAYILLI RESIDENTS ARE KEPT IN DIFFERENT REGIONS, NO ACCESS TO FAMILY
OR LAWYER NO ACCUSATIONS. BASED ON EXPERIENCE WITH MARCH 1 2012 GUBA
PROTEST, THEY MIGHT FACE HARSH PRISON SENTENCES.

January 26

300 or more youth protested police violence. "Get your arms off us" action
was announced after violent actions in Ismayilli. Police blocked the
designated rally place and people were dispersed.

POLICE USED
VIOLENCE AGAINST NON VIOLENT PROMOTERS, AT LEAST 80 PEOPLE DETAINED,
FIVE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO 13-15 DAYS ARRESTS, MORE THAN DOZEN TO FINES
RANGING FROM 500 USD TO 3000 USD. THERE WAS NO ACCESS TO LAWYERS OF
CHOICE IN THE MOST OF THE COURT HEARINGS.

*** While many of those so far released protestors were either let go or fined, Emin Milli received 15days in administrative detention; Ebulfez Gurbanli 13 days; and Turkel Rustemkhanli 13 days.

*** Gulnaz Mammadli, the girl who was just released wrote about her arrest on Facebook (translation from AZ, original post here):

They peppersprayed anyone who protested on the bus. They sprayed it at the boy sitting next me (on his face), I inhaled it, filling my lungs. By the time I reached police station no. 37th, I was feeling weak. First they took me to the cell, then to a room, moments later I felt weakness and fell on the floor. The police officer trying to wake me up, poured the "cologne" all over my face. It felt like my brain was on fire. Then the ambulance came, they checked my pressure, it was high, they gave me a shot (Vafa Ali gave her the shot, she herself had high temperature). I still have a headache, and the burning of my lungs still hasn't gone away...

*** The list of detainees from yesterday. I have removed all those released but there are still names there. Thanks to Sarah Paulsworth update, this list was also available on Facebook.

"Currently being reported that more than 100 people were
detained and taken various Baku police departments including Nesimi,
Khatai, Sabayil, Narimanov. Among the people detained are:

3. Intigam Aliyev- well known human rights lawyer who has litigated cases before the ECtHR

7. Shavaled Chobanoglu - journalist but present at protest as a participant

*** Here is another video showing how Azerbaijan's well known journalist Khadija Ismayil is dragged towards the police car, and forced to get in despite her asking the police officers to let go of her. This was police response to her pleads for the police to join the people for once but no avail. ***The round up from today's protest (rough translation) via Hebib Muntezir's status update: - approximately 100 protestors [the actual number is not known yet] were detained during today's "support to Ismayilli" protest; - some were pepper sprayed at the bus after being detained. journalists were also mistreated; - at the moment 43 persons are held up in Khatai district police; - others, are taken to Nasimi no. 21 and 22 and Khatai's 37th district police departments;
- while many saw water pressure tanks at different parts of the city,
none were used during the protest; there is still tension and police
patrol continues

1 comment:

Welcome to Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines. I started this blog in 2008.

Flying Carpets is about Azerbaijan (where I am originally from) and a little bit about Turkey (where I live). Flying Carpets its mostly politics, and rights issues that I deeply care about and want to see change some day.

I hope it offers at least a tiny bit of glimpse into a country that has so much potential and yet wasting it all thanks to its leaders.